by Sofia Moreau

In the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, we often focus on visually prominent muscle groups. But there’s an area deserving of more attention in our fitness regimes: the pelvic floor. This critical network of muscles supports your reproductive and digestive system and impacts your overall fitness and health in surprising ways.

Higher-impact activities, such as cycling, weightlifting, running, or jumping, can stress the pelvic floor, leading to health problems over time. These issues may hinder your enjoyment of sports currently or prevent you from exercising in the future. But don’t fret! Regular pelvic floor strengthening exercises can help you avert these issues, boost your gym performance, and even enhance your confidence in everyday activities.

The Crux of the Body

The pelvic floor is mistakenly seen by many women as merely a set of muscles around the vagina. This crucial part of the body is a potent musculofascial network spanning the base of your pelvis. Made up of three layers of muscles, it includes the tailbone (coccyx), pubic bone at the front, and extensive fascia – a connective tissue found all over the body. This network governs the prevention of incontinence, reduces back pain, supports good posture, and most intriguingly, offers direct access to the root chakra revered by yogis for instilling a sense of grounding and connection.

The Silent Problem

A dysfunctional pelvic floor can result in substantial health issues, from constipation and lower-value listings to organ prolapse, endometriosis, and painful intercourse. But many women dismiss these symptoms as normal, culturally conditioned to suffer in silence. It’s essential for women to recognize these as serious health concerns that need professional intervention.

Most women aren’t aware that the strength of the pelvic floor can significantly influence their overall health and well being. Data reveals that 84% of women in the UK suffer from urinary incontinence. Surprisingly, 53% of the women who experience symptoms do not seek professional help, while 39% mistakenly consider their symptoms normal.

Don’t Take It Sitting

All is not lost! You can take proactive steps to bolster your pelvic floor before issues arise. There’s no need to wait until after childbirth, or until problems become severe. Continuing with regular sports or physical activities without tending to your pelvic floor can lead to severe cases of incontinence and not just in your later years. Strengthening it can significantly improve your life quality, so it’s worth making it part of your daily routine at the earliest.

Pedalling the Danger

Not just high-impact activities, even seemingly unharmful activities like cycling can stress your pelvic floor. When bike handlebars are positioned lower than the saddle, it can increase pressure on the perineum, causing decreased vaginal and labial sensation in female cyclists. Simple precautions like rising from your saddle every few minutes, setting your handlebars higher than your saddle, and changing your seat can help prevent these issues.

The Need for Professional Guidance

Pelvic floor muscle exercises can be tricky for the unversed. The muscles can be tense without your realizing it, leading to severe discomfort if not adequately relaxed. Pelvic health physical therapists can help gauge appropriate exercises for individual women and guide them through these intricate aerobic movements. Starting slow and building up to more intense exercises can help women get the best results out of their pelvic floor exercises.

Unmasking The Pelvic Health Taboo

Sharing her struggle with incontinence for the past decade, ultra-marathon runner Lucja Leonard stats that the taboo associated with discussing issues related to pelvic floor health prevents women from considering ultra-running. Leonard, however, firmly believes that though incontinence is common, it doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘normal.’ There is help and support available for those afflicted and they need encouragement to seek it.

Unlocking Your Peak Potential

Pelvic floor health should not be neglected, especially considering it forms an essential part of a fitness routine. Beneficial for sportswomen and generally active women alike, pelvic floor exercises can lead to noticeable improvements in overall health and quality of life, setting them up for a fit, future-proof existence.

Pelvic floor health, urinary incontinence, pelvic floor exercises, physical therapists